I'd promised fans on my Forge's FB page a raffle prize for when the page hit 100 fans, which it did shorty there after. While trying to figure out what to make and forging some mokume, a small drop of copper fell off my sacrificial plate into the forge. Cursing, I snatched up a small 4" piece of 1/4" 5160 lying at the base of the anvil I'd hot cut to use as a scale scrape and tossed it in the forge--an old smith told me it helps to clean out the burnt copper residue by letting it cling to a piece of carbon steel rather than worry letting it work into the forge; he'd brought it up when telling me how some smiths would prank each other tossing chunks of brass or bronze into another's forge while they weren't looking, especially if they'd mentioned planning to make damascus.
Standing there, figuring on the copper coating, I thought the little piece might for out well for a kiridashi and so set to hammering out the bevels and some ergonomic contours. Now, I like kiridashi--they're practical and laser sharp if done right, and more versatile than most exacto knife type bladed tools. However, I find that most makers settle for either classical, period pieces or the ever currently popular EDC, tactical necker.
Caught up in the moment, I wanted to mix elements of classical artistry with a practical everyday approach. I grabbed a punch and chisel, beginning by adding dashes down the sides as I then forged down the contours for the palm and thumb curves. The intended effect are the "cracks" seen on the sides--I wanted to do the same dashing lines artists use in drawings to illustrate movement. Since I'd decided on a shark, and wanted that illusion of movement, the lines couldn't be straight as water distorts images, thus why I chose that crack jagged look.
I stippled for texturing because cord wrap would cover my movement lines and the copper coating--hand sanding after quenching, I've left it a soft 400grit finish, the bend of textures giving it an almost waxy soapstone feel.
Before tempering, however, the hard part was selecting a final grind, the chisel edge was never a question, but the abrupt rake to the blade and almost santoku point required a strong approach to edge geometry. What I ultimately settled on doing was a partial hollow grind to flat grind since I expect the heel to be the major pivot point for chopping (push cut) and the tip used predominately for latitudinal slicing. Using an 8" contact wheel, I led with the heel pressed to the corner of the wheel and dragged the rake at a 45 degree so the heel was hollow ground and the tip rode flat across the flat of the wheel just before slack the slack point.
To add a practical rather than tactical approach, I made the Shark's open, waiting mouth a bottle opener.
Just that extra touch I hope the lucky winner enjoys. The final edge hardness resides somewhere close to 58, and been given a 1 micron finish.
Sorry for the low rez pics, I'll hopefully grab better quality ones tomorrow in day light and once I clean the rest of the stropping residue from the edge.
Standing there, figuring on the copper coating, I thought the little piece might for out well for a kiridashi and so set to hammering out the bevels and some ergonomic contours. Now, I like kiridashi--they're practical and laser sharp if done right, and more versatile than most exacto knife type bladed tools. However, I find that most makers settle for either classical, period pieces or the ever currently popular EDC, tactical necker.
Caught up in the moment, I wanted to mix elements of classical artistry with a practical everyday approach. I grabbed a punch and chisel, beginning by adding dashes down the sides as I then forged down the contours for the palm and thumb curves. The intended effect are the "cracks" seen on the sides--I wanted to do the same dashing lines artists use in drawings to illustrate movement. Since I'd decided on a shark, and wanted that illusion of movement, the lines couldn't be straight as water distorts images, thus why I chose that crack jagged look.
I stippled for texturing because cord wrap would cover my movement lines and the copper coating--hand sanding after quenching, I've left it a soft 400grit finish, the bend of textures giving it an almost waxy soapstone feel.
Before tempering, however, the hard part was selecting a final grind, the chisel edge was never a question, but the abrupt rake to the blade and almost santoku point required a strong approach to edge geometry. What I ultimately settled on doing was a partial hollow grind to flat grind since I expect the heel to be the major pivot point for chopping (push cut) and the tip used predominately for latitudinal slicing. Using an 8" contact wheel, I led with the heel pressed to the corner of the wheel and dragged the rake at a 45 degree so the heel was hollow ground and the tip rode flat across the flat of the wheel just before slack the slack point.
To add a practical rather than tactical approach, I made the Shark's open, waiting mouth a bottle opener.
Just that extra touch I hope the lucky winner enjoys. The final edge hardness resides somewhere close to 58, and been given a 1 micron finish. Sorry for the low rez pics, I'll hopefully grab better quality ones tomorrow in day light and once I clean the rest of the stropping residue from the edge.